1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector that forms different circuits in a fitted state of a connection object and an unfitted state.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a case where a connection object such as an expansion board is connected to a connector fixed to a circuit board to expand the function of an electrical device. Such a connector can also be used in an unfitted state of the connection object. There is a case where the connection object in a fitted state is extracted and another connection object is fitted. This connector has a plurality of terminals disposed opposite each other. In an unfitted state where the connection object is not connected to the connector, the terminals come into electrical contact with each other to form a short-circuited closed circuit. When fitting the connection object, the closed circuit is opened, and comes into electrical contact with terminals to form another circuit, and a new function can thereby be added (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 53-133790).
In the above-described connector, a pressed portion for opening a closed circuit that is pressed and displaced by a connection object, and a contact point portion for connection to the connection object are provided in the same elastic piece. During the fitting of the connection object, the contact point portion for connection is displaced in conjunction with the pressed portion for opening. Therefore, if the connection object is repeatedly inserted and extracted, the terminal is plastically deformed, and the contact point portion for connection may become difficult to bring into electrical contact with the connection object. This contact point portion for connection also serves as a contact point portion when the terminals come into electrical contact with each other in the unfitted state. Therefore, there is a likelihood that the terminals are plastically deformed away from each other, and it thereby becomes impossible to bring the contact point portions for connection into contact with each other and to form the above closed circuit in the unfitted state of the connection object.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problem. That is, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector that can reliably perform short-circuit connection of terminals in an unfitted state, and electrical connection with the connection object in a fitted state even after a connection object is repeatedly inserted and extracted.